Protecting device for electrical terminals



P 1949. J. SCHNEIDERMAN 2,482,129

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL TERMINALS Filed April 10, 1946 Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNEEED SEATEfi PATENT @FFKE PRUTECTING DEVICE FQR ELEKC'ERECAL TERMKNALS .loseph Schneiderman, @hicago, Ill.

Application April 10, 19%, Serial No. ceases (ill. 174--5) 2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a device for protecting electrical terminal connections, and more particularly to a two-part device capable Of rapid dissociation for exposing the terminals for specific servicing purposes, the parts being so constructed and arranged as to obviate loss or displacement of either during such servicing.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 594,243, filed May 17, 1945, now abandoned.

Signs for interior and exterior displays com.- prising formed glass tubing filled with certain gases such as neon, argon or Xenon and illuminated by a high voltage impressed across termlnals at each end thereof, are well known. Most of these are interconnected with the source of electrical power in a manner to enable disconnection in a simple and rapid manner to enable the tubing constituting the principal part of the sign to be cleaned, or in the case of signs mounted adjacent other surfaces, for example, a store window, to permit washing of the Window without endangering the fragile tubing of the sign.

To facilitate such removal of the sign from its supports the terminals protruding from the ends of the glass tubing are bent into hook form, and the latter are engageable and disengageable over corresponding hooks forming terminals for a source of power, for example, a :high voltage transformer.

Prior practice has been to protect the inter engaged hooks by glass sleeves movable out of or into terminal-protecting position. However such sleeves are fragile and are frequently broken. Many users are apt to neglect replacing a broken sleeve, and as a consequence the termi nals remain exposed to constitute a hazard to persons and property due to the high voltage current flowin therethrough. Furthermore a sleeve which has been merely chipped is likely to be contacted by a person not using proper care, and injury may result.

Accordingly, a principal object of my invention is to provide a two-part terminal protecting member of generally tubular construction, adapted to overlie the interengaged hook portions of the sign and source of power to protect the same, and capable of simple and rapid dissociation to provide access to the pairs of hooks, as Well as freedom of movement therebetween for removing the sign proper, the parts of the member being normall interengaged by screw threads or a bayonet type of connection and disengageable in such manner as to preserve an association of the parts while the terminals are exposed. Thus, loss or displacement of the movable part is prevented.

Another object to provide a two-part terminal protecting member, one part being secured to the fixed sign supporting means and the other part being manually movable to engage therewith, the movable part having elements permitting the parts to be disengaged in one predetermined direction only, whereby the parts are maintained in a temporary dissociated but inseparable union.

A further object is to provide a two-part terminal protecting member the parts whereof are threadedly engageable, one part being rigid and the other movable, the latter having projections effective to prevent dissociation of the two parts when relatively rotated in one sense. but effective to permit dissociation when relatively rotated in the opposite sense.

With these and other objects which will appear hereinafter in view, there will be described a typical embodiment of the invention as shown in the appended drawing, in which latter:

Fig. l is an elevational view of one form oi power supply and sign to which my invention is capable of being adapted;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view or a portion of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale and partially in cross section; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to that of Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. i; the source of power is represented by way of example as a transformer it having a pair of conductors it--li emerging therefrom and terminating in hool: portions i2i2, one of which is shown in Fig. 2, the insulation of the conductors being identified at it. The sign iii may be of any configuration and carries at its extremities lfilt protruding hook-like terminals il-fll adapted to be en gaged and disengaged with respect to the hooks iii-432 whereby the sign may be removed from the suspended position shown in Fig. i for cleaning thereof, or for access to areas adjacent the sign. All of the foregoing description relates to matter well-known in the art and further elaboration is deemed unnecessary.

When the hooks l2-l2 and i'lil are engaged high potential emsts thereacross and such connection must'be electrically insulated as required by local electrical codes and fire insurance regulations. For such purposes my invention may be employed, the same comprising a twopart member including a fixed part 2| and a. movable part 22. both of insulating material.

Part 2| is of hollow cylindrical form having an aperture 23 adapted to fit over the insulation i2 and to be clamped thereon by a bolt 24 passing through spaced apertured ears 2!, extending from the part 2|. If desired, the latter may be longitudinally slotted, as at 20, to permit the same to yield for clamping action. At its lower end the part 2| is enlarged into a flange 21, forming a shoulder 28, and threaded on its periphery at 29.

Adapted to surround and shield the hooks |2-|2 and il-il is the movable part 22, the latter being of hollow cylindrical form having an aperture 3| in its lower end to clear the extremity l6 of the sign. Upon its interior end the part 22 is threaded at 32 to engage the threads 22. At spaced points about the upper periphery of the part 22, the same may be formed into thickened bosses 33 having apertures 24 therein, and forced into the said apertures are the elements 25 of L-form, the horizontal leg whereof extends over the shoulder 28.

During operation of the sign, the parts 2| and 22 are-as shown best in Fig. 2threadedly engaged, and the hooks i2|2 and |'||'l protected against contact with or by persons or inflammable material. When it is desired to disengage the hooks |2|2 and for removal of the sign ii, the current is turned off and the part 22 rotated in such direction as to move upwardly. Thus threads 28 and 32 will become disengaged and part 22 may be lifted to clear the hooks |2--i 2 and l|--|'I which are now free to be disengaged. Upon reengagement of the hooks, the part 22 is reversely rotated to screw the same upon the part 2| to restore their normal relative positions, such reverse rotation being terminated by elements 25 striking shoulder 28. Accordingly, should the operator attempt to separate part 22 from part 2| oppositely to the manner just detailed, elements 35 will resist such separation. Hence, it will be apparent that part 22 may be cleared irom the hooks |2|2 and |I-|1 only by being rotated in such direction as to move upwardly, and in which position it is proof against dissociation from element 2| and accidental loss or displacement.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the device is not limited in its application to interengaged terminals of hook-like form but is capable of use with other types of electrical connections, the desideratum being the provision of a two-part device capable of being disengaged for access to the terminals but incapable of that degree or kind of separation likely to entail loss or displacement of the movable part.

Moreover the invention is not intended to be limited to screw-threaded engagement of the parts 2| and 22 since such threads may be omitted and elements 2! may merely rest on shoulder 22. Alternatively, other types of engaging means between parts 2| and 22, which are equivalent to the threaded portions referred to may be utilized.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention. it will be understood, or course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for shielding disconnectible electrical terminals or the like extending from insulating coverings comprising a sleeve member havin its aperture surrounding the covering of one terminal and including means for securing said member to the covering, said member being provided with a peripheral flange adjacent one end thereof, a second sleeve member disposed in terminal-shielding position when the terminals are interconnected, both said members being of electrically-insulating material, said flange and the aperture of said sleeve member having rotarily interengageable means for temporary separation of said members to expose the terminals and for temporary union thereof to enclose the terminals, and said second member including an element secured thereto and adapted to overlie said flange to prevent separation of said second member from said first member in one direction but to allow said separation in the opposite. direction.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 in which said second member element is an L-shaped projection. the foot of the L overlyin said flange.

JOSEPH SCHNEIDERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,245,931 Ianman Nov. 6, 1917 1,524,687 Cahill Feb. 3, 1925 1,975,244 Wlseman Oct. 2, 1934 2,093,037 Douglas Sept. 14, 1937 

